SANCTUARY: A LOVE NOTE TO MY PEARL HARBOR PARADISE

SANCTUARY.

Ever listened to a guided meditation that tells you to imagine a beautiful pathway – admiring the green grass and trees, colorful flowers, birds chirping, waves crashing, feeling the sun on your shoulders and the breeze through your hair?

This is what that has looked like for me for the past 8.5 years living in Hawaii.

This park and trail by Pearl Harbor has been my sanctuary.

In this one mile stretch we’ve made memories flying kites, riding bikes, pushing strollers and flying tiny helicopters.

We rode the swings, climbed the ladders, slid down the slides.

Made new friends, threw rocks, fed the fish, watched the sunset.

Attended weddings, receptions, and Mongolian BBQs.

Spotted airplanes, kayaks, ships, submarines, jets, and rainbows.

Here I’ve laughed, cried, prayed, journaled, selfied, and livestreamed.

I’ve rested, exercised, hustled, and surrendered.

Picnics. Play dates. Passing the time.

We’ve waved both kinds of aloha to our favorite submariner and witnessed many others doing the same.

This place is so special to me.

I took lots of pictures today so that the boys can remember what it looks like.

Can’t stop the tears while I type this, knowing that soon it won’t be a short drive away.

Guess I’m writing this to remind myself that whenever I need a visit, all I have to do is close my eyes.

So much love for you, Pearl Harbor.

Thank you for being my sanctuary. ⚓️

Hi 👋 I'm Nikki (Elledge Brown).

Writer, podcaster, and creative advisor for brilliant women who love their work, their people, and their alone time.

As a professional overthinker who believes strongly in INTEGRITY > BALANCE, it's my nerdy pleasure to create and share tools, questions, and frameworks that make it easier to feel good about how we’re showing up — on paper and in practice.

Around here, living like a whole human is the way.

That's what we call On Her Terms® living.